Fruit Tart with Vanilla Custard (Printable)

A buttery tart filled with silky vanilla custard and decorated with fresh colorful fruits.

# What goes in:

→ Tart Shell

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2-3 tbsp cold water

→ Vanilla Custard

07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
10 - 4 large egg yolks
11 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Fruit Topping

13 - 2 cups assorted fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries, peaches)
14 - 2 tbsp apricot jam
15 - 1 tbsp water

# Directions:

01 - Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse again. Drizzle in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together.
02 - Turn dough onto a floured surface, shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into pan and trim excess. Prick base with a fork.
03 - Line tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment; bake 10 more minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before filling.
04 - Heat milk and vanilla bean (or extract) in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.
05 - Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth.
06 - Transfer custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent skin formation, and refrigerate until completely cool, at least 1 hour.
07 - Spread cooled custard evenly in baked tart shell. Arrange fresh fruit decoratively over the custard in your desired pattern.
08 - Warm apricot jam with water in a small saucepan until melted and smooth. Strain if necessary. Brush glaze gently over fruit using a pastry brush to create a shiny finish.
09 - Refrigerate assembled tart for 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and custard to set properly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of buttery crisp shell and cool vanilla custard is pure magic
  • You can customize the fruit topping based on what looks beautiful at the market
  • The apricot glaze makes everything glisten like a professional bakery window
02 -
  • Always keep your butter and water ice cold when making the dough, warmth is the enemy of flaky pastry
  • Never stop whisking when making the custard, even for a second, or you might end up with scrambled eggs
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the custard surface while cooling to prevent a skin from forming
03 -
  • If your tart shell puffs up during blind baking, gently press it back down with the back of a spoon while it is still warm
  • Room temperature fruit is easier to arrange than cold fruit straight from the refrigerator

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